New Doll
by thecontrastingreapers
Summary: Prompt left in the comments of Demon Attack. Drocell has a new doll at his disposal. Pairing: EricxAlan, slight one sided DrocellxAlan, bit of Grelliam and small hint of AlanxWilliam
1. Chapter 1 - Laughter

"Eric! Please, not just now: I'm working"  
"Aw, c'mon, y'know ya like it~" Eric said quietly, kissing at my jaw again.  
"Eric! Will is going to go _mad_ if he catches us. And people are _watching_"  
"Yeah, well, who cares? They think it's sweet. An' our Will has his own li'le office encounters sometimes"  
We both looked over at Grell, who was working quietly, for once.  
"Ya still gonna meet me after work? Want me t' go straight there or wait at home?" Eric asked, sitting back down at his desk.  
"I've not really any reason to go home, so I'll just meet you there when I'm finished. Is that ok?" I answered, glancing back at my paperwork.  
"Yeah, yeah, course. Ya better turn up. Not gon marry ya paperwork instead, are ya?"  
"Oh Eric, when have I ever let you down before? I'll be there. If I'm more than fifteen minutes late, then you can just assume I've been kidnapped or something. I'll always keep to our plans. Surely you know that by now?"  
"Yeah, yeah, jus' checking" he smiled at me and then sighed at his work. "What are the chances of you doing this for me?"  
"None, not today. I've got my own to do. You should really do it yourself"  
"Fine, fine. You're turning into Will, ya know…" 

We worked in silence for a little while, the only sound between our desks being the scratching of our pens on paper.  
"Hey Alan~"  
I looked up and Eric suddenly tickled under my chin, making me squeak and giggle.  
"Eric, don't! You know how ticklish I am!" I stood up and backed away from him, but caught my foot on the leg of my chair and tripped, falling onto my back on the floor.  
Eric pinned me down with my hands above my head, tickling me mercilessly, even though the rest of our office were watching and laughing – and cheering Eric on.  
"Stop it!" I squeaked. "It tickles too much!"  
I lost it, barely able to breathe as he tickled me, laughing even though he was hurting a bit. He was naturally rough and I was bound to end up with red finger marks all over.  
It wasn't long before the door to William's office opened.  
"For goodness sake; you should all be _working_!"  
He marched over to us.  
"Slingby, stop torturing poor Alan and get back to work" he half snapped.  
Reluctantly Eric stood up, holding his hands up in a cocky mock-surrender and returning to his desk with eyebrows raised. I remained on the floor, still giggling feebly.  
"Are you alright?" William asked gently.  
I nodded, sitting up and taking his offered hand to help me to my feet/  
"Good. Go on, back to work. Oh and please try not to be knocked out of your seat again by our blond menace, there's a good boy"


	2. Chapter 2 - Distraction

It was a relief to finally finish work. I walked down one of the main roads in Islington and turned into an alley of backstreets, avoiding human pedestrians on my way to meet up with Eric. Checking my watch I saw I was nearly fifteen minutes early. I had to squint as it was dark in the early evening and the street lights were few and far between.

Somehow I ended up getting a little lost. I'd been so sure of the route before. As I stood against a railing, trying to figure it out, music hit my ears. It was familiar though it took me a moment to recognise it as 'My Fair Lady'. I turned around, trying to figure out where it had come from, and jumped a little, fancying I saw a person's shadow, and the music started to fade ever so slightly. I turned away and started walking, knowing I had to meet up with Eric, and as I did, the music got louder again. There was a hand on my shoulder and I jumped violently and spun round, only to find no one there – but the shadow had reappeared. They backed away into the shadows, the music fading with them, and I found myself following it.  
"Excuse me, sir!?" I called, hurrying, but he was nowhere in sight.  
The music continued to play and I couldn't help but follow it, almost as though the Pied Piper of Hamlin was luring me away. I started to lose my breath as I ran through the backstreets, trying to track down the music player, curious to find the lady or gentleman whose shadow I had seen. Stopping against a wall for a moment I looked up to see a shop close by. I caught my breath and looked at it properly. The sign read; 'Angel Wing Antique Shop'. I approached, looking at the display in the window, nibbling my bottom lip as a doll stared back at me. The tune was louder and clearer now. My curiosity got the better of me and I reached for the door handle, entering the shop before my nerves took over. The music stopped abruptly as the door closed behind me.  
"Welcome, young man"  
I looked up quickly, finding a man sat with a large music box on his lap, a blue mark on his cheek identical to that which decorated the box.  
"G-good evening, sir" I stammered. "I'm sorry; I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"  
I flinched a little and backed away against the door as he stood up, setting the music box down and taking a step towards me. He wavered, unsteady, as though he was going to fall over.  
"You have the ring" he said, moving closer.  
"Th-the ring? I'm sorry sir; I don't wea-"  
I gasped as he took hold of my wrist. His hand felt odd, stiff, the shape of his fingers not quite right through his gloves. He raised my hand to level our eyes and I jumped a little to see a ring on my thumb: a blue stone banded in gold.


	3. Chapter 3 - Manipulation

"I-I don't remember this ring. I'm sorry, is it yours? Here, why don't you take it and I'll go-"  
The man held tighter when I tried to pull away and I could feel tears pricking my eyes.  
"All of the dolls in my shop are girls" he said, stepping back and slowly releasing me. "But I am thinking to myself, I would rather like a change"  
I straightened up, looking round the shop. There was indeed a shelf filled with wonderfully made dolls.  
"Did you make then, Sir?" I asked.  
He didn't answer, but went back to sit down. I followed, looking at him for permission before taking the seat opposite him. The shop felt somewhat unreal, and this man intrigued me.  
"You are indeed a beautiful specimen" he said.  
"Oh! Well, I, thank you sir" I said, not sure how to react to being called a specimen, but accepting the compliment regardless.  
I turned my head away, distracting myself by looking over the shop. My eyes set on a decorative brass candle stick holder. Eric liked them so we had quite a few at home, but not one quite as fancy. Oh dear, Eric's date! I couldn't believe I had become side tracked. He would be starting to worry.  
"I'm sorry sir, there's somewhere I need to be"  
He grabbed my hand when I stood up, forcing me back into the chair. I started to tremble and struggle but I couldn't escape. He was stood directly in front of me; his wooden movements making me shudder and near deny his humanity.  
"Your eyes are of such a wonderful colour, like sand on an evening beach" he said, his odd hand cupping my face, forcing me to look at him. "The dolls may be beautiful, but those girls that I used are far too similar to one another. And I am thinking to myself; I would like something different, young man"  
"You used girls? Do you mean to say the dolls are based on real people?"  
"You are so very different, young man"


	4. Chapter 4 - Flattery

"Your eyes are of such a perfect shape, such beautifully thick, long, and dark eyelashes" he carefully pushed my glasses up, running his thumb over the edges of my eyelashes very gently. "You are hiding something, young man"  
It was a relief when he set my glasses back on my nose.  
"Such exquisite beauty found on a single person must be a sin. Alan Humphries"  
I looked at him, surprised. "H-how do you know my name?"  
"You have such delicate features" he said, unnerving and flattering me at the same time.  
He bit the index finger of his glove, pulling it from his hand. I stared in shock: all the joints and sections of his fingers were so clear – made of wood. I tried to deny it, telling myself he must have been injured and have a prosthetic hand. But the ease of control he seemed to have over it doubted my theory. He removed the other glove, and to my further horror, that hand was the same. Was he… a doll? I whimpered as he cupped my face in his hand, tipping my chin up so it was hard not to look at him.  
"Such a lovely bone structure, such delicate cheekbones" he ran his hand over my nose, and then gently traced the wholes of my ear. I started to cry a little, scared and annoyed at myself for following the music. The music box sat beside us on a table; I could see it out the corner of my eye. The man wiped the tears from my cheek with a wooden thumb before sitting back, looking at me. I turned my head away, looking round the shop once again. It was quite interesting and I wanted to look properly, despite it all. It suddenly occurred to me that if I got close enough to the door, I'd be able to make a run for it. He must have seen me looking.  
"Please feel free to browse the shop" the man said.  
I nodded gratefully, standing up and going over to the nearest display. I noticed another door, and it was tempting, but for all I knew it lead to another room, so I decided to focus on the front door.  
I stopped when I was a little music box. I turned to look at the man, who was stood watching me.  
"May I…?"  
He nodded and I turned back and turned the handle. I knew the tune as 'London's Burning' and couldn't help but smile a little. I'd always liked music boxes, and I had a little one on the chest of drawers in the bedroom at home. Cautiously, I passed by the man and went over to the other side of the room, looking with interest but intent on escaping.  
"A masterpiece… Formed by the very gods of this world"  
I turned to smile nervously and nod appreciatively at his compliment. There were dolls all over the shop, and chances are this man was also a doll. All the glass eyes scared me, watching me. Some looked as though they were reaching out to me, and I shuddered a little. They were pretty, beautifully made, but even so, there was something dark about them.


	5. Chapter 5 - Captured

I was close to the door now. I tried to make it look as though I was looking at the lamps and the perfume bottles as I edged closer to the door. Glancing at my watch I saw I was nearly a full hour late. Eric would be worried – or annoyed – by now.  
"You have a lovely shop, sir" I said quietly.  
I couldn't bring myself to look at him and reached for the door handle. The man grabbed my wrist, pulling me back.  
"Come sit with me a little longer" he said, grabbing my shoulders and forcing me back over to the chair, making me sit down.  
I stared in shock as he sat opposite me.  
"Sir, please" I whispered. "I need to be somewhere"  
"You would make a wonderful doll"  
"I'm sorry sir: I don't have time to model for you like the little girls. I am truly flattered, but I really _have _to be somewhere"  
He grabbed my arm, yanking me close, so I was practically on his lap. My hand slipped awkwardly as he tugged me, catching on his shirt and slipping under the fabric, hitting against his wooden stomach. I shrieked and struggled, but he kept hold, pulling me closer still and taking my chin in his hand, making me look at him. The music box started playing its tune again.  
"You will make a wonderful doll"  
It was all a blur as he stood, spinning me round and lifting me up in both arms, his wooden chest stiff and harsh against my back.  
"Sir, stop!" I screamed. "Please; let go of me! Get off me!"  
He didn't listen, just carried me over to the second door, opening it and exiting the shop. Frantic, I looked up to see a white mansion-type building with pink beams, like something out of a fairy story. I screamed more as he started walking again, leaving the back door open and tightening his hold.  
"Please, let me go!" I begged. "I told you; I have to be somewhere!"  
"You will become a wonderful doll, frozen in time and set as a beautiful object of display"  
I screamed harder until a wooden hand clamped down over my mouth, silencing me. I knew I was trapped in a hold like this, helpless as a child. I forced myself to relax my body, hoping his vice-like grip would do the same. It didn't. I could feel myself panicking and started to struggle again as he opened the tower door. I struggled to get my head free so I could breathe properly in my panic.  
"Come"  
He put me down and grabbed my hand, dragging me up a twisting stone staircase. I couldn't struggle away from such a tight grip. He took me up to a room with various shelves, a large wooden table and a stove with pots and pans, chalked out words on the walls. He locked the door and released my hand, leaving me trembling and sobbing in fear, so scared I could barely move. I wanted Eric, and even though we were away from the shop now, 'My Fair Lady' was still ringing through my ears.  
The man went over to a shelf, pulling down a cloth and a bottle of chloroform. I gasped and managed to take a few steps backwards. I watched him unscrew the lid and pour a fair deal of it on the cloth before replacing the bottle and advancing towards me.  
"N-no! Please, s-s-sir, please don't!" I stammered, backing up against the table.  
He grabbed me by the collar, pinning me down as I kicked and screamed, trying in vain to push his hand away.  
"Stop! Stop… st…" He was too strong and before long, the chloroform soaked cloth smothering my mouth and nose knocked me unconscious.


	6. Chapter 6 - Waiting

"Come on, where are you mate? You said you'd be here" I frowned at my watch. "Come on Al…"  
He was late. He'd been late before, but only by a few minutes, and he'd always apologised and bit his lip till I nibbled it for him. It was dark now: he should have been here over an hour ago. I waited a few minutes more before turning and going into a nearby pub.  
"Hey, can I use ya phone?" I asked the bar tender.  
"Gotta buy a pint first" he said.  
I sighed heavily, handing him a fiver for one. He smirked at me and handed me the glass and change. I handed the glass to a bloke who had just approached the bar and turned back to the bar tender.  
"There, I bought a pint. Where's ya phone?"  
"Come behind the bar. It's through the back"  
I nodded and did so, thanking him as he shut the door to give me a little privacy. I picked up the phone and dialled our home number. No answer. I stood for a moment, starting to worry more, before calling William's landline. Grell answered.  
"Hello?"  
"Grell! D'ya know where m'Alan wen' af'er work?" I asked quickly.  
"Uh, no, sorry. I finished before him today. Want me to put Will on? He might know" he offered.  
"Yeah, thanks mate"  
I listened as he set the phone down. There was a bit of mumbled conversation and then the phone was picked up again.  
"Good evening, Eric. What can I do for you?" Will asked.  
"Well, uh, d'ya know where Alan is?"  
"Alan? Sorry, no. I expected him to be with you. We left work at the same time and he was talking about meeting up with you"  
I bit my lip. "He hasn't turned up. Was 'sposed t' be here an hour ago"  
"He told me he was taking a short cut through the back streets through Islington. He said it would be quicker that way" he told me.  
"What if he's hurt?"  
"Eric, listen: look for him. Go to the backstreets and alleyways of Islington. See if you can find him, or any trace of him. As soon as you know anything, see anything suspicious or if you find nothing, find a phone and ring me again. If you can't find a phone, port and knock: come straight over. Don't put yourself in danger. Come over and we'll help you, I promise. Do you understand?"  
I nodded. "Y-yeah. Ok. Thanks mate. I'll see you or talk t' you later"  
I put the phone down, nerves shaking me. '_I'll find you, Alan. I promise_'


	7. Chapter 7 - Searching

The backstreets were so quiet, eerily quiet. I imagined running into Alan, having him all flustered and upset and saying he got lost and he was so sorry for letting me down. Of course, after a while I stopped dreaming false securities, certain something had happened. That's what he'd said at the office: '…Assume I've been kidnapped'. He had only been joking, but still.

I could feel my throat growing tight. There wasn't a trace of him. Eventually I decided to go into a shop and ask to use their phone. There was one nearby with the lights still on, so I guessed the chap was sorting stock at the end of the day. The door wasn't locked so I just went right in. I looked round to find whoever owned the shop, only to find it empty. The back door was open, but it all seemed pretty derelict. Even so, I went to go out the back when I stood on something. I crouched down and picked it up. I traced my thumb over the silver object in my hand. I knew what this was: it was the clip from Alan's bolo tie. I knew he'd mess about with it without realising it when he was nervous or scared. Likely it'd fall off in a struggle if he'd been playing with it. My heart sank when I realised what had happened: the owner of this shop must have taken him. Alan would never intentionally miss a night out with me. I clenched my fist, the clip biting into my hand. I looked round the shop again and spotted a phone. I picked it up and went to dial William's number but quickly realised it was broken.  
I couldn't wait around looking for another phone. Quickly, I ported to William's home, knocking quite frantically. The door opened within seconds.  
"Will, mate! You gotta help me here! I found – uh, is that blood?"  
He glanced down at his hands and nodded.  
"Yes. Grell tripped in those stupid heels and caught his head on the corner of the coffee table. I was just about to wash it off" he explained. "Come in: it's cold"  
I nodded and stepped inside, kicking the door closed behind me. Will raised an eyebrow and gestured for me to follow him to the kitchen. He quickly washed his hands before addressing me again.  
"What did you find?"  
"Yeah, well, I sorta gave up lookin' an' went t' find a phone an' I found this old antique shop an' I thought it were empty so I went t' go out t' back door cos it were open an' I found this" I held out the clip. "So I reckon, whate'er owns that shop got Al. But I don't know how t' go about getting' 'im back"  
"Well, first of all, we need t-"  
"Was it Angel Wing antique shop?"  
We both looked up to find Grell stood in the doorway with his shirt off, a bandage round his head.  
"You should be resting" William said.  
"It wasn't that bad. I'm fine, _father_" Grell answered.  
"The state of today's shirt, your forehead and the coffee table says otherwise"  
He just rolled his eyes. "Owner of Angel Wing's a doll maker"


	8. Chapter 8 - Information

"What's tha' gotta do wit' it?" I mumbled.  
"He turns people into dolls. Not like replicas, like proper turns their bodies into full on dolls. He must have been given his soul back. Wait, Alan! Hell, Eric, you gotta get down there before it's too late to save him!" He walked over to the table and sat down heavily.  
"Y-ya serious!? Aw hell! But – I don't know where 'e is! Shop were empty"  
"I worked on this ages ago. If he's got Alan, he'll be in the grey tower. It's right near the shop"  
"Eric, let's go. Grell, stay here and rest or you'll make yourself dizzy. You're far too groggy to come with us" William said firmly.  
"Bugger off with the fathering act! Just go find him" he put his head down on the table. "Choose your words carefully when you do. Kill the doll maker if you can't talk him out of it"  
I grabbed him by the shoulder, pulling him close and kissing his lips firmly.  
"You – ya a saint, y'know 'at? Ya get yersen rested: we'll take care o' the rest"


	9. Chapter 9 - Stuck

I could barely move. My eyes were open now but I was frozen stiff with terror. I was on a chair between two shelved, the man from the shop nowhere in sight. I wanted to cry tears that would not fall, wanted to run and escape, but I couldn't. My body felt odd, heavier. Eric must have been so upset with me. I loved him and I let him down. I tried to move again but it was too difficult. I still felt sleepy from being knocked out and I was hurting quite a bit, an odd, hot sensation and the pain resulting from being dragged to the tower by the man and being held down. I stayed still, as I was, wanting so badly to cry and tremble to relieve the terrible choked up feeling in my throat. This body was mine, that I knew, but it didn't function as such. I was a disgrace. I could not run away from anything, including my guilt of letting Eric down. He'd surely have given up by now, would be sat at home, lounging about with a bottle in his hand. I couldn't believe my own stupidity. What was I? I was nothing. Oh Eric. I'm so sorry.


	10. Chapter 10 - Finding

It was deep night now. The shop seemed to glow mysteriously, making me feel more certain of my earlier theory. I didn't care about the risks: I had to find Alan, no matter what, and William would assist me.  
"Grell said there's a tower nearby. Back door was open, s' maybe it's through there?" I said.  
William grabbed my wrist. "That doll looks like Alan"  
I looked through the shop window and my heart thumped as I looked at the little doll. He was right: it did look like Alan, every detail, from the suit to the glasses. I tore my eyes away and entered the shop. William followed.  
"This is definitely suspicious" he said.  
"Ya know wha' Grell said 'bout turnin' 'em inta dolls?" I said, looking round the shop at all the many dolls on the shelves. "D'ya think it's possible?"  
"It's a possibility. Grell is quite an eccentric character but he does not lie, not about such serious matters. The case itself sounds familiar, though I cannot quite put my finger on it" William answered. "Come, we have no time to waste: let us locate the tower"

We found it fairly easily. From the outside it looked like some sort of prison, and the doors were locked tight. Nevertheless I knocked on it, or more like pounded on it. William stepped forwards to grab my wrist when it opened. There was no one there but at least now we could get inside.  
"Over here" William said, gesturing to a staircase.  
I nodded and rushed after him, desperate to find Alan as quickly as possible.  
We came to a singular door at the top of the stairs. I opened it and stepped into the room. My eyes immediately rested on someone sat on a chair.  
"Alan!" I rushed over and hugged him tight.  
It didn't feel right. His eyes were closed and his body stiff, and when I touched his cheek he felt like a wax doll. Oh hell.  
"Alan? Alan! Alan, please; wake up!" I begged.  
I took hold of him by the shoulders, giving him a shake, pleading with him. William touched my shoulder.  
"Eric. It's too late"  
I shook my head, refusing to believe him. He had to be lying. This had to be a dream.  
"ALAN!"


	11. Chapter 11 - Escape

Alan's eyes opened slowly and a dull gaze met my own.  
"I… didn't mean to let you down"  
I shuffled back a bit, looking up at William.  
"We're going to get you out of here, Alan" he said. "Who did this to you?"  
Footsteps sounded and out of the shadows of the room came a man with a double candle holder in his grasp.  
"He makes a beautiful doll" the man said, his voice wavering and wooden.  
I struggled to my feet. "W-who are ya!? Why would ya do this to 'im, ya bastard!? What could ya stand t' gain!?" I shouted.  
"Little girls are so similar: it is not often I find a young man so beautifully worthy of becoming one of my dolls" he answered.  
"You are so low in your morals that you would break him away from everything just for your own selfish desires?" William cut in. "How unusual that you should want to preserve him, yet the way you are going about it both hurts and hides his true beauty, does it not?"  
"I am thinking to myself; is my work truly a selfish crime? That I cannot answer to myself"  
"You doubt your own creations. The dolls in the shop are no crime, but works of art. I cannot say the same for you doing this to a living being"  
The man said nothing, but held his hands out. As he did so, strings shot from his fingers, wrapping around Alan's wrists. The man shortened the string, forcing Alan up against him, controlling him. He fell like a puppet, his eyes barely open and his captor being his only support.  
"Such a beautiful doll"  
This man controlled him so expertly, taking it to his advantage that we could not attack whilst there was the risk of hurting Alan. The way he mocked us made me feel sick, the way he used Alan's reformed body as a marionette.  
"Why can't'cha jus' let 'I'm go!? Undo whate'er ya done t' 'im!" I shouted.  
The doll maker stepped back, climbing onto a table, keeping Alan standing with his strings.  
"How should we get rid of you?" he mused to himself, his expression remaining blank.  
Alan was staring at me, his eyes dull but lit with fear. He suddenly lurched backwards and off the floor, suspended in mid-air, and it was terrifying. Before we knew what had happened, he had been slammed down onto the table, the man holding his immobile body down.  
"I did not think to myself you would cause me so much trouble"

_I wanted to scream. I wanted to get rid of the silent panic attack I was suffering inside this dolls body. The man from the shop was in control now, and I was stuck immovable beneath him. Eric and William were so close; I needed them to rescue me. I wanted my body back. I wished I had returned home after work that evening. I was like the man now; a living doll. A silent gasp begged to be released as the man rested his nose against mine, looking straight into my eyes. He whispered something inaudible and a burning sensation rushed over my body, hurting me, and I heard cracking, the strings around my wrists breaking, my very body felt like it was falling apart. I felt paralysed here, screaming internally for mercy._

I stared and panicked as Alan's skin started to crack and break, his eyes closing.  
"What's 'appenin' to 'im!?"  
William grabbed my wrist, holding me back as the wax shattered and fell from his body. His skin looked pale. Far too pale, I thought. A choked scream tore from his lips and the doll maker leant into him. All of a sudden the man was pinned against the wall, William's scythe holding him there before he could do anything else to Alan.  
"Eric!" William shouted. "Grab Alan and leave! Take him home now, and I'll finish up here, do you understand?"  
I nodded; rushing forwards and grabbing hold of Alan, letting him fall weak and limp in my arms, and ported home quickly without another word.


	12. Chapter 12 - Recovery

I made Alan have a bath as soon as we got home, even though it was past midnight. I insisted on washing him, and I know I must have hurt him quite a bit but he didn't so much as squeak, an absent look still in his eyes.

I sat with him on my lap in the armchair once we were in our nightclothes. I couldn't ask him exactly what had happened and how – I could tell he just wanted to forget it. I kissed his forehead and he nuzzled into me, clutching tight to my dressing gown.  
"D'ya want me t' get ya a drink o' somethin' t' eat?" No answer. "Al?"  
Tears spurted down his cheeks. All of a sudden he shifted position, straddling me and throwing his glasses aside as a sob escaped him – the first proper sound he'd made since the scream in the tower. He buried his head in my chest, starting to cry properly. I cradled him, leaning forwards and jogging him gently as though he were a baby.  
"Hey, it's a'ight, don't cry. Ya safe now. Safe an' sound an' safe from harm, kay?"  
He was holding me tight enough to hurt but I ignored it, knowing his need was more than mine. Hell, he'd had a properly traumatic experience. If he wanted to dig his nails into my arms as he cried, I sure as hell weren't going to stop him.  
"Well, I know I ain't gonna let ya out there on ya own again, I hope ya know 'at" I said, joking a little to try to lighten the mood.  
He pulled his head back a bit, covering his mouth with one hand.  
"I-I'm s-s-sorry... I w-was on m-my way but – but – I, and I couldn't, escape, and – and-"  
"Shhh, sh sh sh. Shh, calm down, sweetheart. None of this was your fault. Please calm down… My triple chocolate brownie"  
He buried his head back in my chest but calmed down a little soon after. I sat back, still jogging him gently, relieved to see him starting to settle.  
"Tha's it babe. Ya can stop cryin' now"  
Not too long after, he did. He reached out for his glasses and then cuddled against me, still a little trembly but a lot better now.  
"Ya got a bit o' colour back in ya cheeks. 'At's a good sign"  
"…I'm sorry I missed out date" he mumbled.  
"Hey, hey, hey, d'nay worry 'bout that. We can go on a date any time. If ya up t' it, we can go tomorrow. We got a day off now, a'er all"  
"To that nice pizza place? I know it's expensive but… I like it there" he said, his grip on my loosening.  
"Ain't that expensive there, 'specially not wit' jus' the two o' us" I said, tipping his chin up and kissing his lips. "We'll go there tomorrow af'ernoon, alright?"  
"Yes. I think I need a good long lie in in the morning, don't you?"  
"Couldn't agree more, my dear" I kissed him again. "Love you, m' Alan"  
"Love you too, meric" he said softly, pressing for another kiss.  
"Ya gon be the death o' me: can never resist ya, s' its jus' as well we've got each other, yeah?"  
He nodded, nuzzling my neck.  
"Take me to bed" he mumbled. "I don't want to end up falling asleep in the restaurant tomorrow afternoon"


End file.
